Patron-driven acquisition practices should be encouraged in the school library if the resources are to meet the needs of individual students. For example, in my school there is a suggestion box in the library where students are able to request preferred books. This is a great strategy to engage learners in the selection process as it advocates student agency and promotes enjoyment of reading (Flesihhacker, 2017). The notes left by students also enable me to establish direct lines of communication with specific students and gain valuable information about what their reading interests are. During informal conversations about resource selection, I am able to gather data on preferred fiction genres, as well as favoured resource formats, and this data constitutes an essential selection tool when the moment comes to place a book order for my school library.

Another important selection strategy is in the form of student surveys distributed to the whole school. As a registered librarian, I have access to all the students’ email addresses, and this enables me to contact them directly before I embark on the process of resource selection for the school library. As students are very competent in the use of Google forms and are usually very responsive to library matters, after posting a relevant survey I am usually able to gather invaluable insights into preferred published materials and different content formats that will contribute to resourcing a student-centred library. Another way of involving learners is by accepting donations of books in good condition that other students will benefit from reading. Including learners in the selection of resources where possible will contribute to student engagement with their school library and therefore to enhanced reading practices.

Reference

Fleishhacker, J. (2017). Collection development. Knowledge Quest, 45(4), 24–31.

Teacher librarians are experts in curriculum planning and pedagogies in all subject areas, as well as in information management services and programs that contribute to improved student outcomes across all stages (https://asla.org.au/what-is-a-teacher-librarian, n.d.). In contrast, classroom teachers usually specialise in one or two subject areas, and as such, prepare teaching and learning programs and lessons to be implemented in their assigned classes. Therefore they usually select specific subject materials for their students that reflect their areas of expertise. In contrast, the teacher librarian needs to consult with the principal and heads of faculty in order to select resources that will contribute to the enrichment of the whole school population.

The teacher librarian is considered to be the information specialist in the school, however he/she should still work together with classroom teachers to plan, teach and evaluate teaching and learning programs in all subject areas so as to enhance the effective integration of ICT resources that will lead to increased student participation and consequent development of 21st century capabilities.  The classroom teacher needs to supervise ethical use of devices and ensure that students stay on task during their lessons, however, the teacher librarian needs to educate the whole school about ethically responsible Internet use in the form of orientation sessions held in the library, especially aimed at younger cohorts. In their leadership role, the teacher librarian must raise staff awareness of the essential need for students to incorporate sophisticated ICT skills into their learning tasks, and of the importance of accessing current and reputable Internet resources to refine these skills and improve learners’ outcomes.

References

Australian School Library Association. (2019). What is a Teacher Librarian? https://asla.org.au/what-is-a-teacher-librarian